Ways Proteins Make You

Through 12 examples, this interactive shows how teams of proteins can work together to build the body and make it work.

1. Assign as many or as few protein examples as you wish and structure the exploration of this piece any way you see fit. It is not important that students learn about each example, just that they understand that proteins work together to build traits.
   • Assign 3-4 examples to each student.
   • Let students choose 3-4 examples to explore
   • Some form of a jigsaw where students are sharing information about different examples with one another.
2. Have students explore individually or in pairs.
3. Use the discussion prompts below and/or develop something (e.g., a worksheet, exit ticket, etc.) with your own questions for students to turn in.

• "Adding a graphic organizer helped students to organize the information. I included a table with a column for the process, the name of the protein, the function of the protein, and common traits."
• "I made a google doc to go with the way proteins make you. A table just to describe how the proteins work so when I eventually get to body systems, I can refer back to this module. I wanted to make sure I included some of the most important proteins tied to our standards."

• Proteins work together to build traits.
• A protein carries out a specific job, which affects an individual's traits.

Students may have heard about dietary protein. But many don’t realize that all living things make their own proteins, or that these proteins help to shape traits.

Student devices, headphones

Ways Proteins Make You

Choose an example from the interactive and discuss possible "difference makers."

• How could environmental factors affect how the proteins work as they make the trait?
• Dig into transcription and translation—the processes cells use to read the information in genes. Here are some resources:
  • How a Firefly's Tail Makes Light (video)
  • Transcribe and Translate a Gene (interactive)
• (Advanced Topic) How could gene differences lead to protein differences that affect how the trait is made?